The Houses of Convocation, both in the province of Canterbury
and of York, were opened yesterday. The Archbishop of Canterbury, wearing his Convocation robes, the Bishops of Manchester, Oxford, and Llandaf wearing theirs, and Deans, Archdeacons, and clergy in hoods and gowns, attended divine service, performed in Latin, at St. Paul's Cathedral. This being over, they re- tired to the Chapterhouse ; where the Royal writ was read, and the mem- bers of the Lower House ordered to withdraw and elect a Prolocutor. The choice fell upon Dr. Peacock, Dean of Ely. The Convocation was prorogued till Friday next ; when both Houses will meet in the Jeru- salem Chamber at Westminster.
At York, divine service in the Cathedral also preceded the scene in the Chapterhouse. Archbishop Musgrave was not himself present, and the Reverend Canon Hawkins presided as his Commissioner. There was a large attendance of clergy. The writ having been read, protests were presented, and rejected as " frivolous and trifling " by the Commissioner. The Commissioner now made search, and discovered that no licence had been issued to proceed to business ; whereupon the Reverend Canon Tre- vor said he had a petition to present—might he read it ? He might read the heads, it was replied ; but no speech or discussion would be allowed. After Canon Trevor had read the heads of his petition, similar documents were presented by other members. Archdeacon Wilberforce desired to found a motion on his petition : he was pre- vented, and entered a protest. Archdeacon Musgrave, in presenting a petition, stated that he did not identify himself by any means with the substance of the petition ; at the same time, it was so respectfully worded, and so deferential to authority, that he begged it might be re- et:dyed. All these petitions prayed for the revival of synodal action in
the Church. When they had been all presented, Archdeacon Thorpe read a resolution, in the fork of a prayer, that the petitions and protests might be taken into consideration. The Commissioner refused tho prayer ; and Archdeacons Thorpe and Wilberforce protested against the decision. The meeting was then prorogued to the 18th May.
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